6 We are of God: he that knoweth God, heareth us; he that is not of God, heareth not us. Hereby know we the fpirit of truth, and the fpirit of error. Greatnefs and Dominion; no other A.D.67. Notions of Chrift but that of a Temporal Monarch, to raise and aggrandize the Jewish Nation, by the Spoil and Deftruction of the reft of Man kind. Whereas a true Chriftian is acted by the Hope of Spiritual Good, and the Love of true Virtue ; and must be approved of, by all that have a juft Relish of God, and true Goodnefs; as on the contrary, 'tis no wonder to fee the False Teachers of thefe Times followed and thronged by the Majority that are of the fame Temper with themselves*. 7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and is born of God, and every one that loveth knoweth God. 7 & 8. As therefore, We juftly pretend to be the true Children of God, let it be our fpecial Care to give a Proof of it, by the Imitation of his peculiar Attribute of Love and Mercy, fo abundantly difplay'd to all Mankind, and to us Chriftians in particular; without which, we fail of the chiefest Instance of resembling Him, and moft plainly fhew we are none of His. 8 He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love. 9 In this was manifested the love of God towards us, because that God fent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 9 & 10. That A of Divine Love 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and fent his Son to be the propitiation for our fins. 11 Beloved, if God fo loved us, we ought alfo to love one ano ther. 11 And furely fuch an unparallel'd Inftance of Heavenly Compaffion to Sinful Creatures, ought to make Us exprefs the tendereft Regard to the Welfare of all thofe whom God was pleased to set fo high a Value on; and to demonftrate the Sense we have of * See and compare John vi. 45. viii. 47. & A.D.67. of it, by fhewing Mercy, even to fuch as least deserve it at our Hands. 12 No man hath 12 & 13. 'Tis not enough to fay, you love God, in Return for his Love to you, unless you give Evidence of it by your Charity to your Fellow Chriftians. God himself is not the Object of your Senfes, and can affect your Thoughts no Way, but by laborious and raised Meditations; whereas your Fellow Chri ftians, their Wants and Miseries strike your very Senfes, and move you, by the strongest and most immediate Impreffions. So that, if you do not perform the Eafier, 'tis not to be imagined you should discharge the more Difficult Part of this Duty: The One, therefore, is the proper Teft of the Other. We fhew whofe Children we truly are, by the Likeness of our Difpofitions; and God, accordingly, confirms us for his own, by the Gifts and Graces of his Holy Spirit beftowed upon us. 14 And we have feen, and do teftify, that the Father fent the Son to be the Sa-, viour of the world. 14 & 15. And by the Extraordinary and Miraculous Powers of this Holy Spirit are we qualified to demonftrate, and have beyond all Exception Evidenced the Truth of thofe Facts, whereof we Apofiles were Eye-Witneffes, viz. That Jefus is the true Meffiah, the very Son of God, the Word, the Chrift, who was with the Father, and actually Jent into the World, for the Redemption of Mankind by his Death and Sufferings. An Article moft Ellentially neceffary to be embraced by every Chriftian; and whoever denies it, deferves not that Character, nor is Entituled to See Chap. i. any Privileges of God's true Church 1, 2, 3. and bere Ver. 2, 3. he in God. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath 16 & 17. By firmly adhering to this Fundamental Truth of his Religion, and by the Practice of that to us. God is love Love and Charity, fo especially enjoined in it, and which is the princi and he that dwelleth in pal in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him. 17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: becaufe as he is, so are we in pal Inftance of our Conformity to A. D.67. his Excellencies, and of our Return of Gratitude to him; in fhort, by loving our Brethren, as God loved Us, and being ready to fuffer for Their Sakes, as Chrift fuffered for Us All; we prove our felves his true Difciples, in full and perfect Communion with him, and may affuredly expect the Glorious Reward he has promifed at the Great Day of final Judgment. this world. 18 There is * no torment: he that fear 18. Nay, we not only then fafely fear in love; but per- may, but ought, to depend upon this fect love cafteth out* Reward, with the utmost Affufear: because fear hath rance, Joy, and Satisfaction; for, to be Diffident, Fearful, and Distracteth, is not made per- ed about the Certainty of our future Happiness, is a Sign, either that a Man has not a due and grateful Apprehenfion of the Mercy, Truth, and Love of God, through Chrift, to us; or, that he is not truly Confcious of his having fincerely performed the Duties of his Profeffion. fect in Love. 19 We love him, because he first loved 19. Infinite Reason have we to Love, Truft, and Depend upon Him, that has given us fuch an Inftance of Love to us and all Mankind. us. 20 If a man fay, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar; for he that lo 20 & 21. Only remember again, that we must testify our Regards to God by Charity and Compaffion to our Brethren. Not only the exprefs Command of Chrift, but the very Reafon of the Thing requires it. For, as I faid (Ver. 12.) if we love not them, whofe Perfons and Wants 21 And strike and affect our Senfes, we can hardly veth not his brother whom he hath feen, how can he love God whom he hath not feen ? *No Fear in Love. Conftruction, to ftand Verse. Fear here feems, in the most natural A.D. 67. 21 And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God, love his brother alfo. hardly be supposed to be carry'd with much Affection to Him, with whom we cannot converfe, but at a Diftance, who is neither the Object of our Senfes, nor within the Compass of our Charity. Chap. iv. 1, &c. CHAP. V. The CONTENTS. The Argument of Chap. iv. 1, 2, 3, &c. refumed; viz. The Certainty of Jefus being the Meffiah and Saviour of Mankind; and that the Truth and Sincerity of Man's Profeffion is to be judged of by their Belief of it, and the good Effect it has upon their Tempers and Practices. The Divine Evidences of this Great Article. The Witneffes in Heaven, and on Earth. The Unexceptionable nefs of this Argument, especially to the Jews. The Bes lief of it the indifpenfable Condition of future Happiness, and of the Acceptance of our Chriftian Prayers. The Sin unto Death, What? Directions what to do in that Cafe. True Chriftian Principles fufficient to keep any Man from fuch Sin. Christianity the true Religion, and utterly inconfiftent with all A&s of Heathen Idolatry. W Hofoe T7Hofoever believ- 1. one that loveth him * the Truth of Chrift's Meffiahis the Chrift, is born fhip was the Rule whereby you are of God, and every to judge of Mens Pretences in Rethat begat, loveth him ligious Matters. Keep then to that alfo that is begotten of Rule, and be affured, that to deny Jefus to be the real Chrift, the Son of God, and Saviour of Mankind, is in Effect to deny God the Father, that fent him into the World for that Purpose. And, on the contrary, fincerely to embrace the One, is to embrace the Other. him. 2 & 3. And 6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jefus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood and it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. 2 & 3. And withal, you must A.D. 67. never forget, that Charity to our Brethren is one principal * Teft of our being true Difciples of Chrift; as 'tis a chief Inftance of our Practical Obedience to his Commands, without which, all External Profeffion of Religion is infignificant, and mere Pretence; but with it, Chri stianity will prove the most pleasant and profitable Profeffion. 4 & 5. The Chriftian will, then, lawful Pleafures of this World, make * Ver. T. 6. Nor are the Effects and Influences of this * great Truth more Excellent and Noble, than is the Ground and Foundation of it Strong and Certain. The Teftimonies ††The Water. given him at his Baptifm, when God, by a Voice from Heaven, declared Him to be his beloved Son, the Saviour of Mankind: The Miracles at his Crucifixion ‡, when at the fhedding of his Innocent ‡ The Blosd, Blood, we faw both Water and Blood come out of his Side; the Sun was Darkned, the Earth Trembled, and Сс : the *Ver. 2. By this we know that we love the Children of God, when we love God. Note: The Context and the Apostle's Argument plainly fhow, that thefe Words are tranfpofed Thé Reading fhould be, By this we know that we love God When ve love the Children of God. And I have paraphrased them accordingly. |